2015 CCRi Oktoberfest

Sunny skies and perfect fall weather were the backdrop for CCRi’s Oktoberfest in McIntire Park. And while there was the usual grilling, great potluck, games and camaraderie, there was also a palpable feel of competition in the air. This time, the usual brewing and tasting was hinged to a winner-take-all contest, where the sole winner would walk away with an engraved chalice in their honor to rest forever in the CCRi Brewing Hall of Fame.

After much tasting and meticulous comparison, (including the use of a “Survivor”esque ballot box), the clear winner was “Dancing Skeleton”, an ale brewed in the classic Oktoberfest Märzenbier style. Märzenbier (beer brewed in the month of March for fall consumption) is full-bodied, rich, toasty, with a typically dark copper color, and has a medium to high alcohol content. This was the go-to beer of the afternoon. Taking second place was a mango enhanced pale ale cleverly named “Djmango Unchained”. This distinctively mango flavored brew was refreshing, and called out for more than one tasting. Other styles offered for tasting and critique were an English pale ale, an English brown ale, a Belgian amber ale, a dry stout, and a Double IPA. CCRi brewers leave no stone, or ale type, unturned (so to speak) in their quest for a creative, yet satisfying brew.